Movable shelf



H. J. MILLER MOVABLE SHELF April 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9, 1948 Harold J. Miller INVENTOR.

BY ;mwa

MOVABLE SHELF Filed Feb. 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I III/.55 1111111 Harold J. Miller JNVENTOR.

BY mm WW-"hm Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. l

Ordinarily, shelves within closets, or the like,

are so positioned that a great deal of storage space is wasted due to the fact that the area between the shelf and the top of the closet could hold a great many more articles than are usually placed therein, because of the instability occurring when several packages or articles are mounted one above the other. And even where the space is to be so utilized, it becomes necessary, in most instances, to use a foot stool or similar ladder to place those articles in position. In order to utilize such storage space to the best advantage, and, in addition, to avoid the necessity for mounting a ladder, the device of this invention is adapted to attain such results.

This invention relates to a movable shelf and is particularly adapted for use where additional storage space is needed, and a primary object of the invention concerns a device that is adapted to provide such means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that can be retained in raised position without the use of specia looking means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is capable of being used without the necessity for providing mounting means.

A further object of the invention is to move said device in a horizontal plane throughout its entire path of travel and to retain objects thereof in place at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is quickly and easily installed in already existing closets, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and is durable and sturdy when n use.

Some of the features of the invention concern the use of staggered supporting arms and an actuating lever locked out of the way when the device is in raised position.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the major of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of a novel Construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the device is lowered position;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the device in raised position;

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the device as viewed in the direction of the arrows 3-3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View of the actuating arms as Viewed along the line 4--4 on Figura 2; and,

2 r Figure 5 is an exploded view of the latchin means of the device, together with the actuating lever.

Referring to the figures, the usual closet is shown at H) and includes side walls l2 and !4,

' a back wall !6, and a front door portion !8. A

usual shelf 20 is mounted in said closet on the usual supporting angles 22' suitably secured together by screws 24, or the like. A movable shelf 26 of somewhat shorter diameter than fixed shelf 20, and composed of any suitable material such, as wood, light metals or the like, is pivotally mounted by means of two pairs of vertical arms 28, 30, in spaced relation to shelf 20.

As is best seen in Figure-4, pivot arm 30 is secured at its upper end to an angled bracket 32, one leg 34 thereof being apertured at 36 to correspond with a similar aperture 38 in the' upper portion of arm 30 for retention of suitable pivot pin 40. The other leg 42 of bracket 32 is secured to the underside of movable shelf 26 by screw means 44, or the like. The other extremity of arm 30 is similarly apertured at 46 to align with an aperture 48 on a second angle bracket 50, a leg 52 thereof including aperture 48 and a pivot pin 54 mounted therein. The other`leg 56 of angle bracket 50 is similarly secured to the upper surface of stationary shelf 20 by means of a screw 58.' It is, of course, understood that this fastening arrangement is repeated for all of the vertical arms 28 and 36. It,is to be noted that angle brackets 32 and 50 are not in vertical alignment and are so positioned that arms 28 and 30 are slightly inclined to the vertical with brackets 32 secured closer to the rear wall !6 of closet n than brackets 50. It thus becomes readily apparent that when the device has been raised in the position shown in either Figure 3 or 4, the center of gravity has been shifted sufficiently to retain shelf 26 in abutting relation with wall IS without the necessity of providing additional securng means.

Referr'ng specifically to Figures 2 and 5, the actuating member of the device is clearly illustrated. The device consists of an arcuately curved lever arm 60 whereby it may readily and fimnly be grasped by the user, and includes an aperture 62 for mounting on the lower surface of shelf 25. A pair of angle irons 64, 66 are secured at'68 to the lower surface of shelf 26 and includes apertures 79 which are in direct alignment with aperture 62 of lever arm se and arm 60 is pivotally mounted therein by means of bolt 12 and secured against displacement by means of cotter pin 14. A channeled latching clip 16 ing to return shelf 26 to its original position without displacement of the objects thereon. When the arm 60 is not in use, it is locked'in clip 16. By means of the staggered relation of `pa-rallel arms 28 being positioned within parallel arms '311,

are then placed thereon, and lever arm 60 is then pushed upwardly, thus serv-"--- Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a structure having side walls and a rear wall, a stationary shelf Secured to the side walls and abutting the rear wall, a movable shelf located above the stationary shelf, a first pair of substantially vertical arms terminally pivoted adjacent the rear edges of said shelves, a second pair of'substantially Vertical arms terminally pivoted adjacent the front edges of said shelves, said first pair being staggered relative to said second pair, all of said arms being rearwardly inclined when said movable shelf abuts the rear wall, an

- actuating lever pivoted to said movable shelf for there is no interference of said arms in the movement of shelf 26. In addition, these arms serve to additionallyvsupport the shelf in that arms 28 rest upon the stationary shelf 20, for a -greater portion of their length and also support the rear ends of movable shelf 26 when it is in horizontal position. Arms 30 provide the major support for shelf 2.6 and are ..additionally supported by shelf 20. 2 It is to be understood that as many modifica-' tions of the device above illustrated might be made withoutdepartng from the spirit or scope of the present invention, .and it is intended that the above description and accompanying drawings and claim shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limi'ting sense.

moving the latter downwardly and in front of the station'ary shelf, and a keeper carried by said movable shelf for releasably retaining said lever.

HAROLD J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: i UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date %9,117 Oswell Sept. 14, 1886 665,451 Marshall Jan. 8, 1901 876,159 Erickson Jan. 7, 1908 %5,452 Peters Dec. 1, 1908 910105 Woodcock Jan. 19, 1909 1,415,307 Bullock May 9, 1922 1,861676 Mueller July 19, .1932 1,985,011 Bescherer Dec. 18, 1934 2284339;

' Navert May 26, 1942 

